Wednesday, June 2, 2010

NEW ORLEANS DEMANDS JUSTICE FOR THE FREEDOM FLOTILLA AND THE BESIEGED PEOPLE OF GAZA

March and RallySaturday, June 5, 2pmMeet at World Trade Center Building at Canal and Poydras

NOLAPS joins our local and global community in outrage over the massacre of humanitarian workers on the Gaza-bound Freedom Flotilla. Below is a brief summary of the story, news sources, and action steps.

Hundreds of thousands are protesting Israel's actions in cities across the US and around the world, and New Orleans will join them on Saturday. Below are some resources that have offered excellent coverage so far. These news sources are crucial, as more mainstream sources are essentially releasing Israeli government press releases and statements as if they were objective reporting.

This news comes on the heels of more devastating developments for the Gulf Coast, where BP has failed yet again to stop the river of oil that is pouring into the Gulf at a shocking rate. The flow of oil may not end until August, and the first tropical storm of what's shaping up to be a deadly storm season has killed more than 115 in Central America. NOLAPS is fully committed to human rights for Palestinians, residents of the Gulf Coast, and all people, including the Right of Return, the Right to Work free of siege and toxic pollutants, and the Right to Self-Determination in safe and healthy communitiesfor all people.

Additionally, please consider contacting the US State Department to express your concern for the victims of this attack and the 1.5 million Palestinians living under siege in Gaza. Details about the New Orleans protest are coming soon.

Online ResourcesFor the past two days, Democracy Now has featured great coverage of the Israeli Massacre and world response.

Al Jazeera English released a video Sunday night, shot by AJ journalists on board the Mavi Marmara, the largest of the flotilla ships. Their site has great reporting on the incident, and also the global protests sparked by the Israeli attack.

The Guardian has offered phenomenal reporting and is helping to dispel the ridiculous myth that the Israeli commandos who attacked the flotilla were acting in self-defense.